Standing near a practice field in Florida last December, days before wrapping up the 2017 season, Chase Winovich candidly discussed the reality of Michigan's football program.

Winovich had been with the program for four years. Neither he nor his teammates were holding much in terms of a legacy.

"I'm just being frank here," Winovich said at the time. "As a Michigan football player, there's not a lot of things I can say 'We did.' "

Winovich came back to school for his fifth season with something to prove.

His roommate, Shea Patterson, left a bad situation at Ole Miss for a career restart. He, too, had plenty to prove.

Coach Jim Harbaugh retooled his offensive staff this offseason, and tried to find new ways to rescue a unit that appeared rudderless at times.

At some point, the Wolverines stopped caring about external opinions. For eight months they worked behind closed doors. They worked as talking heads declared the Harbaugh era a flop. They worked as people wrote they were the fourth-best team in their own division, the schedule was too tough, they weren't ready.

Former Michigan basketball player Chris Webber gets his picture taken with fans on the field prior to the start of the Penn State game, November 3, 2018 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Former Michigan basketball player Chris Webber walks on the football field before the start of the Michigan and Penn State game on Saturday, Nov. 3,2018, at Michigan Stadium. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Former Michigan basketball player Chris Webber walks on the football field prior to the start of the Michigan and Penn State game, Nov. 3, 2018 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Former Michigan basketball player Chris Webber gives out high fives with fans on the football field prior to the start of the Michigan and Penn State game on Saturday, Nov. 3,2018, at Michigan Stadium. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Former Michigan basketball player Chris Webber takes a selfie on the football field prior to the start of the Michigan and Penn State game on Saturday, Nov. 3,2018, at Michigan Stadium. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Former Michigan basketball player Chris Webber poses for a picture by the goal post on the football field prior to the start of the Michigan and Penn State game on Saturday, Nov. 3,2018, at Michigan Stadium. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Former Michigan basketball player Chris Webber takes a selfie with fans on the football field prior to the start of the Michigan and Penn State game on Saturday, Nov. 3,2018, at Michigan Stadium. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Those words are being served right back from whence they came, mine included, with unrelenting ferocity and swagger. Don't like it? Do something about it. Don't want to hear about it? Change the channel.

Michigan's confidence is overwhelming. In 2016, the Wolverines thought they were good and, for the most part, they were. But after starting the season 9-0, they developed a number of issues offensively and ended up losing three of their final four games.

This year's team, however, just ran through a stretch of Wisconsin, Michigan State and Penn State with ease. U-M was physically dominant in all three games and ready to tell anyone willing to listen about it afterward.

The Wolverines' confidence is real, and so is their on-field dominance..

No one in Ann Arbor has been more critical of Michigan's offensive line in recent years than me, and it was warranted. The Wolverines had two quarterbacks go to the hospital last season and have spent years trying to find enough consistency up front to play their coveted physical brand of football.

The turnaround orchestrated by new offensive line coach Ed Warinner has been staggering. Michigan is rushing for 233 yards per game against Big Ten opponents. Penn State was the Big Ten's top-rated pass rush defense entering Saturday's game, and Patterson was barely touched.

If there's a better offensive line in this conference right now, I'd like to see it. When's the last time anyone has said that about the Wolverines? I'll wait as you dust off a calendar.

And we haven't even gotten to this defense yet, a group allowing 216.2 yards per game and a ridiculous 3.7 yards per play.

Michigan is blitzing into its final three games — at Rutgers, vs. Indiana, at Ohio State — with the look of a playoff contender and a team determined to prove anyone and everyone who doubted their ability completely wrong.

I had my doubts in the preseason, and they were evidence-based.

I don't have doubts anymore. That's evidence-based, too.

Michigan is confident and brash and not afraid to let the country know it.